Review
Review
Google Apps with Exchange ActiveSync
I am an iPhone user, having adopted the device with the iPhone 3G (as soon as Exchange ActiveSync support was added). Needless to say, I depend on the excellent ActiveSync protocol for push email, calendar and contact synchronization. I think I started considering Google Apps a viable solution for my personal email when I learned that Google had licensed this technology from Microsoft.
I have setup my mail account on my iPhone with minimal issues, following Google’s instructions. Everything works the way you would expect, and while I have noticed that some folders sometimes take a few...
Outlook issue: duplicates everywhere Once the Google Sync tool completes the first synchronization of the mailbox you will see a replica of your Google Mail inbox in the mail folders pane in Outlook. Aside from the built-in Outlook folders (of which Inbox, Sent Items, and Deleted Items are mapped to Inbox, Sent Mail, and Trash respectively in the cloud, there is also a new [Archived] folder created in Outlook mapping to All Mail online) you will see each of your Google Mail labels show up as a folder in the Outlook folder list. The Contacts and Calendar will also...
Migration pains The Google Apps Sync tool for Microsoft Outlook creates a new Outlook profile so that you can keep any other accounts separate from your Google Apps account (Exchange promotes this type of profile use as well). This tool is what eventually keeps your mail, contacts and calendar synchronized between Outlook and the cloud. The sync tool also provides the ability to import your existing Microsoft Exchange mailbox to your Google Apps account, I naively accepted Google Apps Sync’s offer to do this and let it get to work. The tool successfully migrated my calendar and contacts...
Why I made the decision Google Apps is Google’s response to Microsoft Exchange environments. Each have their pros and cons, and honestly, in the workplace Google Apps is still playing catch-up to Exchange but I was looking for something I could use for my personal email account. Having access to all your emails, calendars and contacts in the cloud is almost a necessity, especially since we are constantly on the move and are utilizing our mobile devices more than ever before. If you are daring enough you can keep your documents online as well. If you spring out the...